Thompson was born on 11th August 1939 in Chester, Cheshire and was occasionally credited as Ian Jacob Thompson. He made his screen debut in an episode of Nom-De-Plume, an anthology of short dramas were the name of the lead character is hidden until the end of the play. Thompson had a small role in the episode 'The Man with a Hundred Hands' (24th August 1956). The cast also includes Richard Bebb, who would provide voice work for the Beasts episode 'During Barty’s Party'.
Thompson would go on to gather credits during the 1960s and 1970s in a diverse range of programmes. He was in two William Hartnell era Doctor Who tales, ‘The Web Planet’ and ‘The Chase’, and ventured into comedy with guest roles in the sitcoms Dear Mother… Love Albert and That’s Your Funeral. His big break came when he was cast as John Porter, a regular character, in the ITV drama A Family At War. Guest roles in The Persuaders, Crown Court and Softly Softly Task Force followed before he was cast as Mike Hickey in 'The Dummy'.
His post-Beasts career saw him became a regular guest actor in shows ranging from Blake’s 7 to Bergerac and The Bill. As he entered the later stages of his career Thompson developed a dual career in voice acting and dubbing for the English language soundtracks of foreign films. Thompson’s credit for additional voices for the English dub of the French film Asterix and the Big Fight (1989) helped pave the way for this new outlet for is talents as well as a new income stream for the actor. Over the coming years Thompson would make more voice appearances in adverts, English language dubs of films and video games including voice work playing Mr Hoffman in the Japanese horror adventure video game Rule of Rose (2006) for the Playstation 2.
His last on screen appearance was in the low budget British comedy film The All Together (2007) starring Martin Freeman. Thompson had a small role as the character Colin. The same year he contributed voice work to the animated film Quest for a Heart (2007), a co-production between Finnish, Russian, German and British animators. Thompson could be heard as Longwind in the English dub of the film. His final currently traceable credit to date is another voice over job playing Big Hat Logan in the action fantasy video game Dark Souls (2011) published by Namco Bandai Games.
Thompson died on 16th July, 2022 at the age of 82.
Television Credits
1956 Nom-De-Plume – “The Man With A Hundred Hands”, David Copperfield (playing the role of Measly Potatoes), Kidnapped
1962 The Old Curiosity Shop
1965 Doctor Who – “The Web Planet” / “The Chase”
1966 The Big Spender
1970 Dear Mother…Love Albert – “All Mod Cons”
1971 That’s Your Funeral – “Winning The Ashes”
1972 A Family At War (regular cast member as John Porter), The Persuaders - “Five Miles To Midnight”, Spy Trap – “Lorna”
1973 Hunter’s Walk – “Local Knowledge”, Late Night Theatre – “Susan”, General Hospital
1974 Crown Court – “On Impulse”, Oh No It’s Selwyn Froggitt
1975 The Main Chance – “Payment By Result”, Softly Softly Task Force – “A Person Unknown”, Sam, Couples
1976 Beasts – “The Dummy”, Sutherland’s Law – “Next Year…In Jerusalem”, The Sweeney – “Visiting Firemen”, The Water Margin (voice performance redubbing Japanese TV show), Hopi…People of Peace (ATV documentary with narration by Thompson), Little Lord Fauntleroy
1977 The Velvet Glove – “Married Love”, Headmaster (regular role as Mr Saunders)
1978 Blake’s 7 – “Breakdown”, Disraeli: Portrait of a Romantic, Target - “Rogue’s Gallery”
1979 Thomas and Sarah – “Birds of a Feather”, Why Can’t I Go Home, Angels
1980 Holding The Fort – “Over A Barrel”
1981 Private Schulz
1982 Secrets, Holding The Line, County Hall
1984 Freud, Mitch – “Saturday Night”, The Gentle Touch – “Exit Laughing”
1985 Dempsey and Makepeace – “Given To Acts of Violence”, Oscar – “Trials”
1986 Bluebells, Inside Story – “Special Delivery”
1987 Bergerac – “The Deadly Virus”, Boon, A Perfect Spy
1988 Andy Capp
1989 The Mountain and the Molehill (Screen One production)
1990 Screenplay – “A Safe House”, All Creatures Great and Small – “Spring Fever”, Medics – “Jess”
1991 The Bill – “Machines”, Gone To The Dogs
1992 Moon and Son – “Star of Fortune”, Between The Lines – “Out of the Game”, Performance – “Tales From Hollywood”
1993 Inspector Alleyn Mysteries – “Death At The Bar”, The Bill – “Give and Take”
1994 Health and Efficiency, Brideshead Revisited, Minder – “On The Autofront”, Medics – “All In Mind”
1995 The Bill – “Count To Ten”, A Village Affair
1996 The Girl, Our Friends in the North, The Ruth Rendell Mysteries – “The Secret House of Death”, Dangerfield – “Behind Closed Doors”, Heartbeat - “Who Needs Enemies”, Dalziel and Pascoe – “A Clubbable Woman”
1997 The Bill – “Typecast”, Dalziel and Pascoe – “Ruling Passion”, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates – “All Stitched Up”
1998 Heartbeat – “Past Crimes”
1999 Big Bad World – “She’s A Lovely Girl”, Midsomer Murders – “Blood Will Out”, CI5: The New Professionals – “Miss Hot”
2001 Poirot – “Evil Under The Sun”
2002 Night Flight, Crime and Punishment, White Teeth – “The Trouble With Millat”, The Safe House
2003 Eroica, Blue Dove
2004 Down To Earth – “Unfinished Business”
2005 Wire in the Blood – “Bad Seed”, Doctors
Film Credits
1973 Baxter, A Touch of Class
1974 Madhouse
1978 The Class of Miss MacMichael
1989 Asterix and the Big Fight (voice work)
1994 Roujin Z (released 1991 in Japan. Thompson supplied voice work for the English language dub)
2001 My Brother Tom
2007 The All Together, Quest For A Heart (voice work)
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